


Bulletproof

by LittleRedFlowers



Category: Finder no Hyouteki | Finder Series
Genre: Angst, Following Chapter 87 onwards, M/M, Major Character Injury, Nobody Dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:33:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26306395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleRedFlowers/pseuds/LittleRedFlowers
Summary: Following what happened after Chapter 87 of Finder No Hyouteki. Contains spoilers.Edit (01/11/2020): Renamed from 'Hanging By A Broken Thread' to 'Bulletproof'.__The gun from his hand dropped onto the ground as the older male attempted to shield Akihito from the bullets and all Akihito could do was watch in horror as Asami’s face contorted with pain and his body shook from the shots that continued riddled his body.
Relationships: Asami Ryuichi/Takaba Akihito
Comments: 20
Kudos: 104





	Bulletproof

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my native language. If there are any mistakes, please do inform me! [This is an unbeta story.]

The gun from his hand dropped onto the ground as the older male attempted to shield Akihito from the bullets and all Akihito could do was watch in horror as Asami’s face contorted with pain and his body shook from the shots that continued riddled his body.

The bullets stopped.

Sudoh was claiming victory.

In the years that they've been together, those three words were never uttered but shown in their every moment. Till the very end, Asami’s last act of love to Akihito was showed the immense amount of love and adoration he felt for the younger man. If his actions weren't enough, the gentle smile and heartfelt confession from Asami had Akihito reeling with emotions.

“ _I love you.”_

He had never felt so loved, yet so utterly desperate and terrified for his lover. The contrasting emotions were overwhelming, and it increased tenfold as he watches Asami’s eyes close and his body slump into Akihito’s arms.

_He’s not dead yet. No, he’s not dying. Not now, not ever._

Akihito chanted that mantra in his head, eyes on the gun beside his lover’s hand.

Sudoh’s voice was grating on his nerves. This subordinate that was left to spiral down into madness after being brutally rejected and scorned. _He tried to kill Asami_ , was all Akihito could think of as his hand inched towards the gun. Akihito never wanted blood on his hand, but he never that he would one day have to get his hands dirty.

He just never thought it would be this soon.

Or for this reason.

Akihito couldn’t hear any word that came out of Sudoh’s mouth. No, all he could hear was the blood rushing in his ears and Asami saying ‘I love you’. With one arm curled protectively around his lover’s body and the other on the gun, Akihito took aim and fired towards Sudoh.

The bullet pierced his chest, resulting in instant death.

Akihito could care less about Sudoh’s demise. All he knew was that he needed to get Asami out of here and to the hospital immediately. He needed to get help to save his lover, and yet before he could take a step towards the exit, the building started to collapse. 

The ground underneath his feet started to fall apart.

It terrified him. He never that getting involved and staying with Asami would probably result in an early death for both of them. Still, he never thought that they would end up dying this way. 

_I’m scared to die_. Akihito wrapped his arms tightly around Asami’s unconscious body. _But at least, I’m with you_. The thought of dying with Asami brought a strange sense of comfort and relief to Akihito. Before Akihito lost consciousness, all he could think of was

_I love you._

_Let’s be together forever._

_Even to the Abyss._

_…_

At the edge of consciousness, Akihito could hear loud beeping noises from beside him. He groaned as he struggled to open his eyes. His eyelids have never felt so heavy before in his entire life.

“Akihito?” A voice called out from beside him.

The voice sounded strange. Nothing like what he was familiar with, nothing like that deep, honeyed voice that he was so used to hearing calling his name. In fact, there was an accent to the voice.

It made him curious. Who else besides his lover would be calling his name?

Akihito fought to open his eyes, and the first thing he saw was a white ceiling with lights that were way too bright. He whimpered and closed his eyes again.

He was alive. How did he survive? Where is Asami?

“A-asam-i…” He groaned.

“…I’ll call for the doctor,” the voice said. It sounded hesitant.

Akihito furrowed his brows and tilted his head towards where the voice came from.

This voice… He wasn't familiar with it, but he was certain he had heard it before. Who does this voice belong to? The voice went to call for a doctor? That affirms his suspicions of being in a hospital.

Several minutes later, the sound of a door creaking open sounded from nearby and footsteps could be heard walking towards him. Akihito forced his eyes open once again.

“Takaba-san, I’m glad you’re awake.” The doctor standing beside his bed had short stature and grey hairs around his temple. He was wearing a kind smile and exuded a very homely vibe. It made Akihito feel secured and at ease despite the current situation.

“H-how is Asa-mi?” Akihito coughed.

The doctor harrumphed.

“Takaba-san, your injuries are quite extensive. I understand that you have a passion for criminal photography?" 

Akihito wondered why the doctor wasn’t answering his question about Asami, but he nodded anyway.

“I’m afraid you won’t be able to do that anymore. Your leg was badly broken, so I would advise against it."

It felt like time stopped for a moment. Akihito felt his heart drop, and it pained him to think that he would have to give up his passion in exchange for another chance at life. He views criminal photography has part of his identity. Now that he was forced to give it up, it felt like a part of him was forcefully ripped away from him. Who is he without criminal photography?

"You also suffered a concussion when your head hit the ground. But thankfully, the impact wasn't that bad since you had a bulky backpack with you when you fell. It was what soften your fall from the two-storey fall.”

The door clicked open again. This time a familiar silhouette walked in. For a moment, Akihito felt his heart skipped a beat before realizing that the person who walked was not the person he wanted to see.

“Takaba-san, you’re awake.” The relief in Kirishima’s voice was so obvious. Standing behind him was Feilong, someone he was not expecting to see.

“Kirishima.. Feilong.. Where is Asami?”

Feilong looked away while Kirishima stared back with an extremely pained expression.

Dread crept up Akihito’s spine. What does that expression mean? Asami is okay, isn't he? He has to be! 

Akihito attempted to leap up from his bed, accidentally ripping his IV out from his arm.

“He’s alive, right?!”

“… yes, but he is in a delicate state right now.”

It felt like a weight was lifted off Akihito’s shoulders. He could deal with coma. At least Asami is alive. As long as he’s alive, Akihito can deal with anything else.

“Can I see him?”

"Later, when you're better. Right now… I.."

"We have some things to discuss with you. Now is not the most appropriate time to do this, but we don't have a choice. I'm sorry, Akihito, but we need your cooperation." Feilong interrupted whatever Kirishima was going to say. His face was a weird mixture of worried and severe. 

Feeling the heavy atmosphere, the doctor quickly left with the nurses after a quick check and reassuring him that he’s recovering well.

“Right now, Sion is in a mess and so is Asami’s stronghold on the underworld. Kirishima is handling Sion as the acting CEO while Asami is out of commission, but the problem is his underworld business.”

Listening to Feilong talk about what he needed to do and the consequences of _not_ doing them terrify Akihito. 

Kirishima was going to be acting CEO of Sion and Akihito…. Was expected to take over Asami’s role in the underworld since he was the one closest to the older man. By taking over Asami’s position, it would ensure the safety of Asami and everyone else under him.

It is what Akihito has to do, but he doesn’t know if he can. Akihito wasn’t fearless, or strong like Asami. Akihito wasn’t intimidating, nor was he ruthless and commanding like the older man. Feilong, Kirishima and surprisingly, Mikhail would guide and help him as much as possible. While Akihito is extremely thankful for any guidance, he is also absolutely terrified of ruining what’s left of Asami’s regime.

The amount of information he received in the short span of time that he woke up was starting to overwhelm him. He lost a part of himself when he was told he can no longer pursue criminal photography and now he’s expected to lead and carry on the legacy of one of the most successful and powerful underworld leader.

He never expected to be so directly involved in the underworld dealings. He wanted to be the one to expose the dealings, not the one to be dealing. Anxiety surged within him, his mind was in a complete set of chaos. During times like this, he really wished that Asami was beside him. The older man always had a way of comforting and calming him. Akihito misses him so much.

_…_

It was two weeks later that Akihito was finally discharged. Kirishima had to force him into a wheelchair and wheel him out of the hospital when he refused to leave Asami’s bedside.

The first time Akihito saw Asami all pale and hooked up to machines, he immediately broke down into tears while clinging onto Asami’s hand. The heart monitor beeping in a steady rhythmic manner, assured Akihito that the other male was still alive and breathing. 

Seeing his lover in a hospital bed looking so pale and fragile was so difficult. Akihito wasn’t used to seeing Asami being anything but suave. It reminded him that Asami is human, too.

Akihito was told the extent of Asami’s injuries. The older man was lucky to escape the fight with his life since he lost a lot of blood from the bullet wounds. One bullet to the arm, one imbedded into his thigh and one dangerously close to his kidney. Asami was lucky to be wearing a bulletproof vest when Sudoh fired multiple shots at his upper torso. Due to the numerous bullet wounds and massive blood loss, Asami was going to be in the hospital for a long while to monitor his recovery.

Knowing that his lover would make a full recovery assured Akihito a lot. He was still struggling to come to terms with how much of his life has been flipped, but he can at least rest easier knowing that Asami would come home to him one day. That doesn’t make going home to an empty penthouse any easier though.

With his current situation, Kirishima had suggested that he ask his parents or a friend to stay over and help him move about. Akihito quickly shot that suggestion down. He already felt guilty about hiding his relationship with Asami from his family and friends and for all the lying and invading he's been doing. He doesn't think that it's right for him to burden them with more problems. Besides, he doesn't know if he's feeling emotionally stable enough to be around people who have no idea what he has to take on in the near future as an acting mob boss. 

“I’ll come by at 9AM tomorrow. Rest well, Takaba-san.” Kirishima closed the door behind him, leaving Akihito all alone in the big penthouse.

Everywhere he looked, he would see glimpses of Asami. He really, _really_ misses the older man. Doesn’t matter that he just saw Asami a few hours ago. It felt different knowing that Asami isn’t allowed to come home for a few more weeks, that he would be alone with all their memories.

Home never felt so cold before.

_Ah, I really love him. He is my home._ Akihito thought as he stared blankly into the closet.

Akihito shook his head with a sigh and wheeled himself towards the big closet in their bedroom and pulled one of Asami’s shirt off the rack. The shirt smelt faintly like the detergent they use and faintly like Asami. Akihito scolded himself mentally for being so melodramatic as he wheeled himself to the bed. Asami is well and alive, so why was he acting like a widow whose husband died at war?

With no one but the walls to witness his actions, Akihito curled up on Asami’s side of the bed and brought the shirt up to his face. It is his one comfort while the older man is in the hospital.

Tomorrow.

_Tomorrow, I’ll see him again. Now, we rest._

**Author's Note:**

> I have no medical knowledge whatsoever, and I also don’t know anything about anything. I’m just writing shit cuz I’m unemployed and have too much free time. And also cuz I'm lowkey dying over the chapter like bro WHAT TF
> 
> Asami and/or Akihito ain't dying cuz that's not the kind of world that I'm living in. Also just fyi in case anyone else spent way too much time panicking, the ARC is ending but not the series (apparently!!). 
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading!


End file.
